What do you do if your team members are in conflict?

Ignorar conflitos pode levar a uma deterioração do ambiente de trabalho e diminuir a produtividade. Um estudo publicado pelo CPP Global indica que os funcionários norte-americanos gastam aproximadamente 2,8 horas por semana lidando com conflitos, o que sugere um impacto significativo na produtividade. Abordar o conflito assim que ele surgir pode prevenir escaladas e minimizar seu impacto negativo.

First, it is important to evaluate if it is a healthy conflict or an interpersonal one. Not all conflict is created equal. If the conflict is healthy, nurture it and create a safe space for debate and negotiation. Set clear guidelines and encourage collaborative solution setting. If the conflict is more interpersonal, the best thing to do is to take a step back and empathize with each side before engaging or trying to resolve it. Ask yourself, "What are they thinking, feeling, hearing, and saying (or not saying)?" and follow this by analyzing the conditions and context of the conflict. This will help give you insight into the underlying drivers that are promoting the conflict. Once we have a better understanding, approach with curiosity.

Pay attention to when exactly differences of opinion or conflicts arise within the team. Does this always happen between the same people? Are there already different groups within the team that work against each other? Is it about content-related issues and, if so, what exactly are the issues on which the conflicts arise? You need to answer these questions first. To do this, you need to observe your team and the individual people carefully. Also check whether the conflicts are really about substantive issues or whether they are possibly about personal conflicts. In other words, do individual people simply not like each other and this spills over into the work or are there fundamentally different views on an important issue?

Wars start when we do not have open dialogue. That is not banter, that is fact. If you are a leader you can facilitate open dialogue where both sides feel comfortable to speak. Hopefully this makes the situation "solve itself" but it also serves to make the leader aware of the problem so an amicable resolution can be reached. I have personally done this and found out there was a toxic person on my team that I was unaware of. It all came out in the course of letting both members speak. Be careful, the leaders role in this type of safe space is just to listen and preside. Not to do a lot of talking. I learned this from 14 years as Judge. Judges rarely talk. They listen.

Start with curiosity and take time to ask questions. I use the 2-1 rule (two questions before one response) as a framework to ensure an understanding of a situation before reacting. Questions such as "How do you see this situation?" and "What outcomes would be a win for both sides in this conflict?" can open up space to share perspectives and establish a forward-facing, collaborative resolution. Setting intentions for the dialogue and framing it in a way focused on resolving the issue for all can also be a powerful signal for safety. I use phrases such as, "In the spirit of creating a safe workplace for all of us to thrive..." or "To ensure that each of you knows that you are valued and appreciated..." to set the stage.

Encouraging each side to see the humanity of the other is a powerful way to ensure that the conversation stays productive. Reminding people that they are unhappy with a particular set of behaviors, and not necessarily that the other person is bad, is important to maintaining the dignity and respect for the parties involved. I encourage the conflicting parties to consider areas that the other party adds value. I also gently encourage each side to consider the fact that they are on the same team, with the same mission, and while they may disagree on how to accomplish the mission, we are all moving in the same direction.

When the team is in conflict, find a common ground by doing these 2 things: 1. Crush Assumptions: Directly ask, “What’s the one thing we’re all ignoring?” Uncover the elephant in the room and turn it into common ground. 2. Flip Negatives to Positives: Get everyone to list annoyances, then challenge them, “How do we flip these into wins together?” Transform problems into collective goals.

Addressing team conflicts requires a deep understanding of individual behaviors and group dynamics. - It's essential to understand how each team member feels about something so you can deal with it in a way that works for everyone. One size does not fit all. - Different leadership approaches can exacerbate or alleviate tensions, so adapting leadership style is crucial. Maybe you are the problem. - Beyond resolving immediate disputes, developing a team culture that minimizes conflicts through regular team-building and open communication is vital. Work on prevention in the long term; hotfixes might only sometimes work.